R Samarth Poised to Join Ranji Champions Vidarbha, Replaces Karun Nair

Vidarbha, the reigning Ranji Trophy champions, is gearing up to welcome experienced Karnataka batter Ravikumar Samarth into their squad as a professional for the upcoming domestic season. This strategic move sees Samarth taking the place of Karun Nair, who has decided to return to his home state for personal reasons, making it a near like-for-like replacement for the central zone team.

The 32-year-old right-handed batter boasts a considerable career in domestic cricket, having represented Karnataka for the majority of his playing days until the 2023-24 season. Following his long tenure with Karnataka, Samarth made a move to Uttarakhand, where he had a prolific single season. During his time with Uttarakhand, he showcased his consistent form across formats, accumulating 649 runs in seven first-class matches at an impressive average of over 54, 385 runs in seven List A games at an average exceeding 55, and 184 runs in seven T20 matches with an average of over 30.

Samarth's wealth of experience will be a significant asset to Vidarbha. With 95 first-class games under his belt, he has amassed 6157 runs at a career average of 39.72. Vidarbha had been actively searching for a suitable replacement after Karun Nair's impactful contribution to their Ranji Trophy victory last year, where he scored an impressive 863 runs in nine games. Prior to Nair, Vidarbha also benefited from the services of Ganesh Satish, who had a significant tenure with the team from the 2014-15 to 2022-23 seasons.

Confirming his move, Samarth stated that he has secured the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Uttarakhand and is now awaiting the final formalities with Vidarbha. Sources within the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) have corroborated this, indicating that Samarth's recruitment is imminent. Delhi-origin batter Dhruv Shorey will continue to serve as the team's second professional, further strengthening Vidarbha's batting lineup for the upcoming season.